Orange County Government, The City of Orlando and Visit Orlando have announced the return of #407Day this Thursday, April 7, 2022, for residents to celebrate their hometown pride and support local area businesses. This special campaign, inspired by the destination’s longtime area code, encourages residents to support their favorite restaurants, bars, shops, boutiques, services and other locally owned businesses by sharing posts and photos on their social media channels using the hashtag #407Day. All three entities have partnered with leading local food blog Tasty Chomps for a #407Day social media giveaway. Residents will have the chance to win prizes from local businesses and organizations by sharing their posts and photos on April 7, marked with the #407Day hashtag, via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Lucky winners will be awarded giveaways from attractions such as Wild Florida and WonderWorks Orlando, local nonprofit organizations Orlando Ballet and the Downtown Development Board, and restaurants such as AVA MediterrAegean, Taverna Opa, Tapa Toro Tapas Bar & Paella Pit, Orlando Cat Café, deep blu Seafood Grille, and The Glass Knife. “Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and when we come together to support each other, we all thrive,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “We must continue to celebrate the local businesses that make our region a special place to live. I encourage all residents to join me on April 7 and visit your favorite local business or restaurant. Together, we can make a difference by supporting our neighbors.” “I am proud to be a resident of our vibrant, inclusive community and always enjoy sharing what I love about Orlando. #407Day gives us all the opportunity to showcase our hometown pride and the small businesses that make our community such a special place,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “As Orlando residents we are lucky to live in a destination that tops the vacation bucket list for millions of visitors from around the world,” said Visit Orlando President & CEO Casandra Matej. “Part of what makes our destination so special is the range of local businesses, and we encourage everyone to go out on #407Day to share recommendations and show support for their favorites.” Prizes are being offered by the following businesses and organizations: AVA MediterrAegean (Chef’s table dinner for two and sommelier-selected wine bottle) deep blu Seafood Grille (Dinner for two) Downtown Development Board (“407” t-shirts) Orlando Ballet (2 tickets to “The Great Gatsby”) Orlando Cat Cafe (2 passes to the Kitty Play area) Tapa Toro Tapas & Paella Pit ($25 gift cards) Taverna Opa Orlando ($25 gift cards) The Glass Knife ($100 gift card) Wild Florida (2 passes to the Drive-Thru Safari and Giraffe Feeding experience) WonderWorks Orlando (Tickets for a family four-pack)

Central Florida's newest theme park, Peppa Pig Theme Park has extended its hours of operation on select dates in April, giving visitors more time to enjoy the park and splash about in puddles. ​The Winter Haven park will open at 9 a.m., an hour earlier than its usual 10 a.m. start time, from April 2-24. Adjacent to Legoland Florida, Peppa Pig Theme Park opened to the public on Feb. 24. The park is designed for preschoolers and features attractions and rides inspired by the popular children’s TV series. Rides include Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster, Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat Ride and Grampy Rabbit’s Dinosaur Adventure.

Great news for dessert fans as The Peach Cobbler Factory is coming to Central Florida! The sweet, sticky dessert restaurant announced a new multi-unit agreement deal that is bringing the company to Orlando, Winter Park and Lake Buena Vista. The company say that although they do not yet have the first location finalized, they are hoping to break ground by May. The Peach Cobbler Factory was founded in Nashville, TN in 2013 by Tamira Edgerton and Juan Edgerton and the couple partnered with seasoned franchise developer Greg George in July, 2021 to launch PCF Franchise LLC. The stores feature 12 different cobblers and five different banana puddings and ar peachy tea. The cobblers are apple, walnut and raisin; honey apple; cinnamon peach praline; sweet potato pecan; caramel apple; blackberry; blackberry and peach; cherry; mango peach; peach; strawberry; and strawberry and peach. The banana puddings are classic, Nutella, Oreo and strawberry. The Peach Cobbler Factory also sells five different cinnamon rolls, including a cobbler-stuffed roll, and cold-brewed coffee. Customers can add ice cream to the cobblers and to the cinnamon rolls. The company offers a family style dessert shop with old fashioned cobbler, cinnamon rolls, banana pudding, peachy tea and cold brew coffee. For more information, please visit www.peachcobblerfactory.com.

Get in on the action with The rock! An action packed wax figure of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been added to Madame Tussauds here in Orlando. ​Paying tribute to Johnson’s action roles, the figure is dressed in a white T-shirt and cargo pants and is shown scaling a building by rope. The area where the figure is located also has special effects, including sound, wind and fog, plus, as well as posing with the figure, you can join The Rock, and scale the building together! The figure of Johnson at the International Drive attraction within Icon Park Orlando is one of four unveiled by Madame Tussauds on Thursday. The other figures, which depict Johnson in different poses, are located at the company’s museums in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York. Johnson said in an Instagram post about the statues, “The thing I’m most amazed with, that we were able to capture with all of these DJ statues around the world, is we captured the energy, the spirit,” The four statues join figures in London and Hong Kong. “We’re honored to have had the opportunity to represent him at the world’s greatest wax museum,” Madame Tussauds head of marketing Matthew Clarkson said in a news release. In Orlando, Johnson joins wax figures of other celebrities such as Ariana Grande, Pitbull, Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, Justin Bieber and Superman!

Great news from Universal Orlando Resort! The Orlando resort has announced that hugs are back at the resorts theme parks, the first time since March 2022 that character meet and greets are fully back to normal! While physical distancing had no longer been required for character meet-and-greets at Universal, until recently, characters didn’t actually physically interact with guests, until now that is! We'll be back in the parks to hug Spiderman and The Simpsons soon!!

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort has officially reopened at Walt Disney World for the first time in two years, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a big returning milestone for Walt Disney World as it marks the last and final resort at Walt Disney World to reopen after the COVID-19 closures of March 2020. Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse and Goofy joined Disney cast members at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort at Walt Disney World to commemorate the Disney Resort hotel's March 31 reopening.

It’s been so great to see live entertainment returning to Walt Disney World after the pandemic, but the one thing that wasn’t the same was no hugging MIckey Mouse! Well the great news is that traditional Walt Disney World meet and greets are coming back! From April 18, Disney will start reintroducing traditional character greetings, that’s right! Very soon, you will once again be able to hug Mickey Mouse, get an autograph from Mulan, and share a laugh with Goofy. We have so missed these special moments! While not all locations will be available immediately, Disney anticipate reopening in phases throughout the spring and early summer. So, with character greetings coming back this spring, who’s at the top of your “must meet” list for your next Disney vacation?

Walt Disney World and Coca-Cola have released five unique co-branded collectible bottles available exclusively at the resort during the 50th Anniversary Celebration. Sold at locations throughout each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, four different bottles feature each of the four park icons with their own unique EARisdescent color on the labels, plus a fifth bottle with a special gold label. The bottles are shaped like the bottles sold at Walt Disney World when it opened in 1971. Disney and Coke have shared a video with actress and singer Sofia Carson unveiling the new commemorative Coca-Cola bottles.

According to BlogMickey an announcement about the return of Fantasmic is coming soon from Walt Disney World! . Rehearsals have been ongoing for the show as the Cast prepares to bring back the nighttime show…with a few new upgrades. The theater itself has undergone upgrades that will support the upcoming show changes. In November of last year, Disney announced that Fantasmic would be returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios sometime in 2022 and that there would be a new scene for the show. Now, it looks like an announcement on the show’s return could be imminent. Sources aren’t clear on when, exactly, the show will return, but they do indicate that the show is ready for a return soon.

We are receiving more and more details now on the new Connections Cafe and Eatery ahead of it's opening at EPCOT. Imagineer Zach Riddley has taken to his Instagram account to offer another sneak peek inside. "To celebrate the recent menu reveal of Connections Eatery, I’m excited to share even more behind-the-scenes details of this beautiful space at EPCOT. Adding to the park’s rich legacy of original art displays, our team produced a hand-painted mural that stretches over 160 feet along the back wall of Connections Eatery!" "This original piece, titled “Global Gathering,” is a celebration of various food and beverage staples from around the world, and how we are all connected by enjoying a meal together. Highlighting eight distinct regions of the globe, this vibrant installation depicts people cultivating or gathering around food, such as potatoes from the Andes Mountains in Peru or black pepper from the Malabar Coast of India. The piece also evolves from sunrise in the east to sunset in the west across the full span of the eatery – culminating in one of the largest art installations Imagineering has created. That scale and stunning vibrancy celebrates global diversity with a simple, universal concept: the moments we have in common around food, meals, traditions and memories." "The creative concept for this piece was developed over the last few years, with consultants from around the world. It was then hand-painted in a series of panels and recently installed by our site teams at EPCOT. Here we see Abdul from our Character Paint team, working alongside a team of artisans to provide final touch-ups in the field." "Seeing this stunning mural come to life and now find its home in EPCOT speaks to the global story of connection that’s always been at the heart of this unique park."

Walt Disney World has now released the full menu with pricing for the upcoming Connections Eatery in World Celebration at EPCOT. The quick service restaurant offers dishes inspired by Italian, French and Asian cuisines, with a single menu for lunch and dinner. Mobile Order will also be available. Connections Eatery - Lunch and Dinner menu Burgers and Chicken French Bistro Burger Gourmet Beef Blend, Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Brie, Mushrooms, Dijon Mayonnaise, Toasted Brioche Bun $12.99 Southwestern Burger Gourmet Beef Blend, Roasted Corn-Chipotle Salsa, Oaxaca Cheese Crema, Chamoy, Guacamole Spread, Toasted Bun $12.99 American Classic Burger Gourmet Beef Blend, Lettuce, Pickle, Tomato, Cheddar, Roasted Garlic Spread, Toasted Bun $11.99 Banh Mi Burger Miso-marinated Gourmet Beef Blend, Pickled Vegetables, Sriracha Mayonnaise, Soft Sub Roll $11.99 Hand-breaded Chicken Sandwich House-made Pickles, Signature Sauce, Toasted Brioche Bun $11.99 Mediterranean Burger Gourmet Beef Blend, Shredded Lettuce, Pickled Vegetable and Feta Relish, Zhoug Mayonnaise, Housemade Doner Bread $11.99 Pizza Meatball Pizza Beef and Pork Meatballs, San Marzano Tomato and Basil Sauce, Cheese Blend, served with Mediterranean Side Salad $10.99 Pepperoni Pizza Pepperoni, San Marzano Tomato and Basil Sauce, Cheese Blend, served with Mediterranean Side Salad $10.99 Five-Cheese Pizza San Marzano Tomato and Basil Sauce, Cheese Blend, served with Mediterranean Side Salad Salad General Tso Chicken Salad Petite Kale Blend, Broccoli Slaw, Red Bell Pepper, Mandarin Oranges, Edamame, Crispy Wontons, Warm Fried Chicken, General Tso's Dressing $11.49 Niçoise-style Salad Crispy Mixed Greens, Wedged Potatoes, Tomatoes, Green Beans, Olives, White Beans, Dijon Vinaigrette (Plant-based) $10.29 Plant-Based Curry Spice Pizza Tikka Masala, Carrot, Potato, Peas, Tomato, Plant-based Mozzarella, Lime "Yogurt", served with Mediterranean Side Salad $10.99 Sides Coleslaw $4.49 French Fries $4.49 Mediterranean Side Salad $3.79 Kids' Disney Check Meals Cheeseburger Served with choice of two Sides and choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small DASANI® Bottled Water. Meets Disney Nutrition Guidelines for Complete Meals without substitutions $7.99 Grilled Chicken Bao Served with choice of two Sides and choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small DASANI® Bottled Water. Meets Disney Nutrition Guidelines for Complete Meals without substitutions $7.49 Kids' Meals Chicken Breast Nuggets Basket Served with choice of two Sides and choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small DASANI® Bottled Water $7.99 Five-Cheese Pizza Served with choice of two Sides and choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small DASANI® Bottled Water $7.49 Dessert Liege Waffle Brioche Dough with Pearl Sugar, Strawberries, Whipped Cream, Chocolate Sauce $5.29 Shakes Apple Pie Gelato Shake $7.29 Mango-Coconut Milk Shake Topped with Pomegranate-Molasses Drizzle $7.29 Beer Cigar City Jai Alai IPA - Tampa, FL 20-oz Draft - This bigger brother to the Pale Ale employs a significant amount of Hops with high bitterness and Citrus and Floral aromas $10.00 Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider - Cincinnati, OH 20-oz Draft - Sweet and refreshing, a favorite since Colonial times $9.25 Yuengling Traditional Lager – Pottsville, PA 20-oz Draft - Fuller flavored with a higher malt presence than Pale Lagers $8.75 Bud Light Lager – St. Louis, MO 20-oz Draft - Golden colored with flavors that are dry, clean, crisp and refreshing with subtle bitterness $8.25 Wine Acrobat Pinot Noir, Oregon 5-oz Glass of Pinot Noir - Flavors of ripe strawberry and dark chocolate, with notes of cherry, cinnamon, and vanilla on the nose $13.00 Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon, California 5-oz Glass of Cabernet Sauvignon - Flavors of plum and dark chocolate with aromas of strawberry and cedar $11.00 Hess Shirtail Creek Chardonnay, California 5-oz Glass of Chardonnay - Crisp acidity with notes of green apple and tropical fruit $11.00 Rainstorm Pinot Noir Rosé, Oregon 5-oz Glass of Pinot Noir Rosé - Vibrate pink hue with notes of strawberry, rose petal, and pomegranate on the nose $11.00 Specialty Cocktails Cucumber and Thai Basil Cooler Hendrick’s Gin, Cucumber, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Thai Basil, Ginger Bitters $14.00

We are so excited for the brand new Guardians ride coming to Walt Disney World, and Disney keep on giving us the first look inside the queue area ahead of the attraction's debut at Epcot this summer. ​In a photo released late Wednesday, Disney showed off the "Galaxarium" section of the queue. It is described as a planetarium-style space that showcases planets and stars that "connect residents of Earth and the planet Xandar." The photo shows a giant circular area in the ceiling where those images of planets and stars will be shown. As well as sharing a picture, The Disney Parks official TikTok account have given us a first look inside the queue of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, and it looks out of this world!